Ruby and "the guys"

Playdoh time with Ernie

The problem with having two parents that are psychologists (oh- who am i kidding when i use problem as a singular noun!) is that we are probably more aware than we need to be of various signs and symptoms of poor adjustment and developmental issues and we're trained to be on the lookout for them. I say this jokingly because -of course- our daughter is 100% perfect... (duh!) but one of the things we've joked about is her lack of attachment to stuffed animals or "loveys" and what that may mean. She's never had a "blankie" and she's had little interest in dolls. In fact, when she pushes her little toy stroller around, she always makes a point of tossing the baby-doll out of the stroller onto the floor before she starts pushing it. No freeloaders tolerated around here! Not exactly what you'd call a doting dolly-mama.

What a difference a few months make. Ruby now has not just one but THREE new BFFs! They are known affectionately as Ernie, Elmo, and "Coo-coo." You see, the upside of having an Auntie who works for a huge toy company is that you return home from visits stocked up with the latest Sesame Street characters. The downside is that Ruby gets attached to ALL of them and you spend your days bringing "the guys" everywhere you go and hoping against hope that none of them ever get lost. Ruby often requests that "the guys" accompany her on stroller rides and trips to brunch or the park. They are now constant companions during naps and bedtime.

I have been taking advantage of the spell that these characters have cast over Ruby by using them for peer pressure. When she has a tantrum over not wanting to brush her teeth, for example, I smile sweetly and say "let's brush Ernie's teeth... wow! he's really good at that! good boy Ernie!" We proceed to brush Elmo and Coo-Coo's (Cookie Monster) teeth and by the time we're done, she can't help but oblige in order to keep up with the cool kids. Ahhh... Genius!! right?

Well...this strategy of promoting peer pressure may work fabulously for the next little while... but I'm thinking somewhere before Ruby turns 15 or 16 I'll have to find another strategy or this could end really badly!

"I wanna walk NOW!"

Ruby has been talking a LOT lately and likes to impress us with her full sentences. She is also very polite and often uses the words PLEASE and THANK-YOU spontaneously. The only problem we've encountered is her recent love for the word NOW. She likes to end most of her sentences with that word, in fact. When her sweet "please" is followed by an impatient and insistent "NOW!" it's sort of like two sides of a math equation canceling each other out. :)

Here's a shot of Ruby with some of her Canadian cousins. Love those guys!

Ruby with the bride, Auntie Courty. So pretty!!!

More updates to come soon and I'll try to get a pic of  "the guys" up here too.
Cheers!
Adie